Shears and scissors grinder

ABSTRACT

A grinder including a casing, an electric motor and optionally a transformer housed in the casing, a grinding wheel mounted outside the casing and operatively connected to the electric motor and a platform mounted on the casing to extend obliquely with respect to the axis of the grinding wheel. The platform is arranged to be used for sharpening shears and scissors by sliding a blade thereof over the upper surface of the platform while pressing the cutting edge of the blade against the grinding wheel in movement.

United States Patent Garcia Sept. 4, 1973 [54] SHEARS AND SCISSORS GRINDER 3,332,173 7/1967 McMaster et al 51/102 X 3,574,268 4 1971 B 5] 92 BS [76] Inventor: Thomas Garcia, 5987 LOUIS Veu|llot use Montreal Quebec Canada Primary ExaminerDonald G. Kelly [22] Filed: Oct. 20, 1971 Assistant Examiner-Howard N. Goldberg App]. No.: 190,899

[52] 11.8. C1. 51/92 BS, 51/102, 51/224, 51/285 [51] Int. Cl B24b 3/52 [58] Field of Search 51/91 BS, 92 R, 92 BS, 51/102, 220, 224, 231,122,128,158, 285

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,811,069 6/1931 Webb 51/128 2,191,600 2/1940 Wahl 51/92 R 2,753,666 7/1956 Sasse 51/92 R 3,075,322 l/1963 Uthoff 51/128 Att0rney-Raymond A. Robic 57 ABSTRACT A grinder including a casing, an electric motor and optionally a transformer housed in the casing, a grinding wheel mounted outside the casing and operatively con nected to the electric motor and a platform mounted on the casing to extend obliquely with respect to the axis of the grinding wheel. The platform is arranged to be used for sharpening shears and scissors by sliding a blade thereof over the upper surface of the platform while pressing the cutting edge of the blade against the grinding wheel in movement.

7 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTEBSEP 4 ms SHEET 1 0F 2 SHEARS AND SCISSORS GRINDER This invention is directed to shears and scissors grinders. More particularly, the present invention relates to a new type of grinder for sharpening scissors and shears that are used particularly by barbers and hairdressers.

The sharpening of scissors and shears blades is usually carried out on a small machine of the type described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,191,600 issued Feb. 27, 1940 to L.J. Wahl. When using grinding apparatuses of that type, the grinding is done by moving the shear blade in a plane which is parallel to or substantially coincides with the axis of the grinding wheel. Another characteristic of these apparatuses is that the angle of the grinder is always the same. Even though this apparatus is very useful and does perform a good sharpening of scissors and shears blades, it has serious disadvantages. For example, it does not permit a variation of the angle between the blades of the shears or scissors and the grinding wheel, which has become a necessity in view of the different hardnesses of the blades to be sharpened.

Another problem of the prior art scissors grinders is created by the fact that they are not easily adjusted to various sizes of shear blades.

Finally, as stated above, the known grinders perform their operation while the blade is parallel to the axis of the grinding wheel. It has been known for a number of years that it is impossible to obtain in this manner an edge which is sharp enough to fulfill all needs. An angular grinding of the cutting edge is always more satisfactory in that it produces a cutting edge which is sharper and which is longer lasting.

In order to overcome the above disadvantages there is provided a scissors grinder which comprises a casing having a motor housed therein, a grinding wheel outside the casing, the grinding wheel being operatively connected to the motor and a platform mounted on the casing to extend obliquely with respect to the axis of the grinding wheel. The platform is arranged to be used for sharpening a cutting edge of a scissor or shear blade by sliding the blade over the upper surface of the platform while pressing the cutting edge against the grinding wheel in movement.

In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, it is possible to vary the angle between the blade of the shears or scissors and the grinding wheel by providing a platform which is vertically adjustable.

In accordance with yet another embodiment of the invention the blade is set in a clamp which can be adjusted to receive various sizes of shears or scissors blades.

In the drawings which illustrate an embodiment of the invention,

FIG. I is a perspective view of a scissors grinder according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the grinder illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view in elevation taken on the platform side of the device illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a view in elevation taken on the grinding wheel side of the device illustrated in FIG. 1.

With reference to the drawings, the grinder l, which: is illustrated, basically comprises a casing 3, a motor 5 (shown in dotted lines in FIG. 2) which is housed inside the casing 3, a grinding wheel 7, a platform 9 and a clamp 11 which is used for clamping the scissors blades of a pair of scissors l3.

The casing 3 is preferably made of a durable plastic material mainly because it can be produced at a lower cost. It is generally prismatic and comprises a front face 15 and a rear face 17, lateral sides 19 and 21 and a top portion 23. Between the front face 15 and the lateral side 21 there is a cut out portion 25 which is used to mount the grinding wheel 7. As will be explained later, the grinding wheel 7 is angularly mounted with respect to the vertical and for reasons of design, the lateral side 21 and the face 27 of the cut out portion 25 form a corresponding angle with the vertical. This is best illustrated in FIG. 4 of the drawings. It will be noted that the top portion 23 has not been cut out, the reason being that the area of the top portion 23 above the cut out portion 25 will be used as a guard 28. Finally, the casing 3 is formed with a platform support 29 which is used to mount the platform 9 on the casing 3. The platform support 29 is shown as a portion which projects from the front face 15 of the casing 3.

The motor 5 is mounted inside the casing 3 by means of a screw 30 at an angle with respect to the vertical which corresponds to the one according to whichthe grinding wheel 7 is mounted on the casing 3. A shaft 31 is used to connect the motor 3 and the grinding wheel 7. For this purpose, the shaft projects outside the face 27 of the cut out portion 25 for mounting the grinding wheel 7 and the hub 33 which is retained in place by means of the set screw 35. To operate the motor, the latter is connected to an electrical outlet (not shown) via a transformer 36 shown in dotted lines in FIG. 2 and an electrical connection 37. An on-off switch 37a is provided on top portion 23.

Turning now to the platform 9 the latter will be seen to consist of a plate 38 which is inwardly slanted towards the front face 15 and is mounted over a base 39 all in the particular manner illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3 of the drawings. The base 39 has a slot 41 formed therein at an angle with respect to the vertical corresponding to the angle formed by the grinding wheel 7 with respect to the said vertical. In the grinder which is illustrated this angle is about 20, however the grinder also works very well with angles varying between 5 and 25. Mounted in the platform support 29 and outwardly projecting therefrom, there is a screw 43 which is used to adjustably mount the base 39 by being received in the slot 41. The platform 9 is locked in a selected position by means of the wing nut 45 We shall now describe the clamp 11. It consists of a sliding plate 47 which has the shape illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3 of the drawings. The sliding plate 47 has a downwardly sloping portion 48 on' which a scissor blade 51 can be placed. The downwardly sloping portion 48 is narrower on the left hand side than on the right hand side with the result that the line of demarcation 47a between that portion 48 and the rest of the sliding plate 47 is a line which is oblique with respect to the longitudinal edges of the sliding plate 47. The purpose of this design of the sliding plate 47 is to enable to rigidly fix the scissor blade on the sliding plate, which was impossible with the devices of the prior art. Reference is particularly made to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawing. The scissor blade 51 is held fixed over the sliding plate 47 by the clamping member 53 which has a clamping portion 54 and which is tightened over the scissor blade 51 by means of the screw 55 and wing nut 57. it will be observed that the clamping member 53 has a slot 59 therein to receive the screw 55 which is fixedly mounted inside the material of the clamping member 53 and projects therefrom all in the manner illustrated in PK]. 3 of the drawing. The slot 59 is used to adjust the position of the clamping member 53 over the scissor blade 51 thus enabling the scissor grinder l to be used with scissors or shears of all sizes. To enable an easy manipulation and sliding of the sliding plate 47 over the plate 38, the sliding plate 47 is formed with a rounded depression 61 which will permit the operator to insert the tip of one finger thus making sure that he has a good control of the grinding operation.

The operation of the device according to the invention is of course very simple and is evident from the description which has just been made. However it should be pointed out that the specific construction of the device according to the present invention will cause the scissor blade to be moved along the grinding wheel by the mere fact that the grinding wheel is being rotated. Particularly, since the grinding wheel 7 obviously rotates in the direction indicated by arrow A and since the wheel as illustrated is mounted at about a 20 angle with respect to the vertical, this will cause a natural self-propelling of the scissors blade 51 in the direction of the arrow B. The scissors will therefore be moved manually only to the extent that they are guided along the grinding wheel 7.

I claim:

1. A grinder for scissors and the like comprising, in combination:

a. a casing,

b. a motor housed within the casing,

c. a grinding wheel having a sharpening periphery disposed outside the casing and operatively connected thcrethrough to the motor means for rotation wherein the planar surface of the wheel is inciined at an angle from the vertical,

d. a platform secured to the casing for supporting a pair of scissors such that the longitudinal axis of the platform is oblique with respect to the axis of rotation of the wheel, and

e. means for securing the scissors onto the platform in sharpening engagement with the wheel periphcry.

2. A grinder according to claim 1 wherein the grinding wheel is operatively connected to the motor by means of a rotatable shaft.

3. A grinder according to claim 1 wherein the casing includes a cut-out portion within which the grinding wheel is mounted.

4. A grinder according to claim 1 wherein the platform is secured to the casing by means of a screw and slotted base member for vertical adjustability.

5. A grinder according to claim 1 wherein the casing includes a projection which serves as a guard for the grinding wheel.

6. A grinder according to claim 1 wherein the securing means includes:

a. a slide plate means for resting and sliding upon the platform, and

b. a clamping member for clamping the scissors blade to the slide plate means.

7. A grinder according to claim 1 wherein said angle is between about 5 and 25 from the vertical. 

1. A grinder for scissors and the like comprising, in combination: a. a casing, b. a motor housed within the casing, c. a grinding wheel having a sharpening periphery disposed outside the casing and operatively connected therethrough to the motor means for rotation wherein the planar surface of the wheel is inclined at an angle from the vertical, d. a platform secured to the casing for supporting a pair of scissors such that the longitudinal axis of the platform is oblique with respect to the axis of rotation of the wheel, and e. means for securing the scissors onto the platform in sharpening engagement with the wheel periphery.
 2. A grinder according to claim 1 wherein the grinding wheel is operatively connected to the motor by means of a rotatable shaft.
 3. A grinder according to claim 1 wherein the casing includes a cut-out portion within which the grinding wheel is mounted.
 4. A grinder according to claim 1 wherein the platform is secured to the casing by means of a screw and slotted base member for vertical adjustability.
 5. A grinder according to claim 1 wherein the casing includes a projection which serves as a guard for the grinding wheel.
 6. A grinder according to claim 1 wherein the securing means includes: a. a slide plate means for resting and sliding upon the platform, and b. a clamping member for clamping the scissors blade to the slide plate means.
 7. A grinder according to claim 1 wherein said angle is between about 5* and 25* from the vertical. 